, 1887-06-22
P r @ & + D N G s
OF THE
UOAOMoA9
o ST. CROIX.

Country District (RassetO who had notified
his inability to attend.
His Excellency the Governor was present.
The minutes of thelast ordinary meeting of
the 10th May q. c., and those of the extraor-
binary meeting OF same date were read and
adopted.
The Chairman notified the r~eceiptof a Com
nunication from the Government dated 18th
April a. c., accompanying the usual commit.
nal accounts for the financial year 1886.
1t had hitherto always been customary to APP
point o Committee of 2 members to revise
same, and he would advise that the same
course be followed. The appointment of
a Committee was postponed until later on in
the meeting.
The Chairman also notified the receipt of
a communication from the Government dated
3rdinst. embodying the decision ofthe Minister
Of Finance concerning what steps shall be
taken by the Council, when members leave
the island.
The Communication was read by the Sc
cretary.
The Chairman notified that same would be
published in extenso in the proceedings OF the
Council. The contents of the letter would
be taken for the future guidance of the Coun-
ell.
The communication reads thus
The Government
~ for the
Danish West India Islands.
St. Croix, the 3rd June, 1887.
No. 772.
After having submitted to the Ministry a
question discussed in the Colonial Council for
st. Thomas and St. John in it's meetings on
49, OH oNJ +1o o. oh Tar11o ry l OF 90 RI tho
Interpretation of s s 81 and 46 of the Colonial
Law concerning members withdrawal on ac-
count of departure, Government has received
the following answer from the said Ministry,
dated the 9Th of April last:
considering that in the meetings on the
18th and 21st January last of the Colonial
Council of St. Thomas it was held by the
1st. and the End Grown member of the coun.
Gil, that in accordance with 5 "a of the Colo.
NAL Law the LIST member for the city of st.
Thomas, Daniel, must be considered as hay
ing ceased to be q member of the Colonial
Council, on account of his having been alb
sent from the Island for more than 4 months,
in. as muchas his departure was communicated
totheC ouncilin the meetingthat was held on the
7th August last, whereas he did not return
to St. Thomas before the end of December
last. Government in letter dated the Feb
ruary last No. 25A under reference to the prac-
tice hitherto followed by the Colonial Council
that q member who had been absent for more
than 4 month was not considered as having
withdrawn from the Council when in the
meeting in which the question of his with
drawal was to be decided, it was known,
either, that he might be expected back soon,
or, that he had returned, has requested the
opinion OF the Ministry of Finances, as to
whether the Ministry had any objection to
the said practice, or whether it should be OBJ.
served in future that a meeting Of the Council
be- held whenever a members absence from
the Island has lasted 4 months, in order
that his seat may be declared vacant and a
new election take place, and also as to wheth.
or, as generally done hitherto, the term of
4 months mas be calculated from the day
when the communication concerning a mem
ber's departure is read in the Council, or
whether it should be calculated from the day
Of his departure.
Accordingly. the Ministry would refer to the
circumstance that In letter dated the 18th
December 1875. which was written in reply
to q communication from the Colonial Coun.
ell of st. Thomas, it has stated, that the
Ministry understood the enactment in s "a of
the Colonial Law concerning Withdrawals of
members Of the Council on account of depar-
lures. in such q manner that it indeed crea-
ted no hindrance to that the Council at once,
uhnc a mamhar communicated that he in